Specialist Behaviour Support
Our Specialist Behaviour Support service is designed to help people who experience behaviours of concern, as well as the families, support workers and services around them.
We take a person-centred, compassionate and evidence-based approach. Rather than focusing only on stopping a behaviour, we work to understand what the person is communicating, experiencing or trying to achieve, and what changes may help them feel safer, more understood and more engaged in everyday life.
Our Behaviour Support Practitioners are NDIS-registered and draw on evidence-based practices informed by neurodevelopmental and relationship-based approaches. We look beyond the behaviour itself to understand the person’s strengths, capacities, sensory preferences/challenges, communication style, relationships, environment and experience of the world.
The aim is to develop practical, individualised support that:
- Improves the person’s quality of life
- Increases meaningful participation and engagement
- Reduce the frequency and impact of behaviours of concern
- Help supporters respond consistently and respectfully
- Build the person’s skills, autonomy and sense of control
- Minimise and, wherever possible, reduce the use of restrictive practices
Our Approach
We focus on the whole person
Behaviours of concern do not happen in isolation. They may be influenced by communication breakdowns, mismatched expectations, sensory processing differences, physical discomfort, relationships, the environment, emotional experiences or the demands being placed on the person.
We take time to understand:
- How the person communicates and expresses their needs
- How they understand and experience the world
- Their strengths, interests and existing abilities
- Their sensory preferences and sensory needs
- What helps them feel calm, safe and connected
- What situations may be overwhelming, confusing or distressing
- The relationships and environments in which behaviours occur
- What the person may be trying to communicate or access
- How supporters currently respond and how those responses may influence the situation
This deeper understanding allows us to develop proactive supports that prevent or reduce distress, rather than relying primarily on reactive responses.
We prioritise meaningful engagement
A central part of our approach is supporting families, support workers and implementing providers to engage with the person in ways that are genuinely meaningful for them.
What is considered meaningful by a support worker or service may not be meaningful to the person receiving support. We therefore explore the person’s own interests, preferences, communication, motivation and ways of participating.
When a person is engaged in activities and relationships that are relevant and enjoyable to them, supporters are more likely to understand:
- What the person enjoys and values
- What motivates them
- How they prefer to interact
- Which sensory experiences support or overwhelm them
- What their behaviour may be communicating
- What adjustments can make participation more successful
This helps support workers move beyond simply completing tasks and instead build genuine connection, shared engagement and trust.
We build on strengths and capacity
Our practitioners look at what the person can do, what they are learning and what support enables them to participate successfully. Strategies are designed around the person’s abilities and developmental needs rather than focusing only on limitations or behaviours. This will lead to reduce stress levels for both the supporter and the client.
We aim to help the person:
- Communicate their needs in ways that work for them
- Make choices and exercise greater autonomy
- Develop coping and self-regulation skills
- Participate in valued activities
- Build positive relationships
- Experience a sense of purpose and belonging
- Feel greater predictability, safety and success
Our Behaviour Support Services
Functional Behaviour Assessment
A Functional Behaviour Assessment helps us understand the circumstances surrounding behaviours of concern, including what happens before, during and after the behaviour.
Depending on the person’s needs, the assessment may include:
- Discussions with the person, where appropriate
- Conversations with family members, support workers and other relevant people
- Review of existing records and reports
- Observation across relevant environments
- Information about communication, sensory processing, health, routines and relationships
- Identification of patterns, triggers, barriers and unmet needs
- Consideration of the possible function or purpose of the behaviour
The assessment is used to identify practical ways to improve the person’s environment, communication, engagement and support.
Positive Behaviour Support Plans
Following assessment, we can develop an individualised Positive Behaviour Support Plan. The plan provides clear guidance for the people supporting the participant and may include:
- Increased understanding of the functions of the behaviours
- The person’s strengths, preferences and support needs
- Their communication and sensory profile
- Likely contributing factors and early signs of distress
- Proactive strategies to prevent behaviours of concern
- Ways to increase meaningful engagement
- Teaching and skill-development strategies
- Communication supports and alternatives
- Safe and respectful responses when distress occurs
- Guidance for supporting recovery after an incident
- Information about restrictive practices, where relevant
- Monitoring requirements and review arrangements
Plans are developed collaboratively and are intended to be practical, understandable and consistent with the person’s goals and everyday life.
Individualised Behaviour Strategies
We develop strategies that are tailored to the individual rather than applying a standard response to a particular behaviour.
Strategies may focus on:
- Adapting the environment
- Making routines more meaningful
- Supporting transitions and changes
- Adjusting communication
- Meeting sensory needs
- Increasing choice and control
- Supporting emotional regulation
- Improving opportunities for meaningful activity
- Developing new skills
- Strengthening relationships
- Helping supporters recognise and respond to early signs of distress
Our focus is on strategies that are realistic for the person and their support network to use consistently across home, community, educational, employment or residential settings.
Staff & Family Training
Consistent support is essential. We provide training and coaching for families, support workers, carers and other relevant team members so they can confidently implement the agreed strategies.
Training may cover:
- Understanding the person’s behaviour and support needs
- Recognising early signs of distress
- Supporting communication and choice
- Identifying sensory preferences and needs
- Creating meaningful engagement opportunities
- Implementing proactive strategies
- Responding safely and respectfully to behaviours of concern
- Supporting the person after an incident
- Recording relevant information
- Reducing reliance on restrictive practices
- Promoting consistency across the person’s support network
Training can be delivered in the environments where support takes place, helping strategies become part of the person’s everyday routines.
Reducing restrictive practices
We are committed to preventing and reducing the use of restrictive practices.
Restrictive practices can limit a person’s movement, choice, access or independence. While there may be circumstances in which a restrictive practice is currently in place to manage significant risk, it should not be viewed as the primary solution.
Our approach focuses on understanding the reasons a restrictive practice may be used and identifying safer, more positive alternatives. This may involve:
- Understanding the situations that lead to increased distress or risk
- Improving communication and predictability
- Meeting sensory, emotional and physical needs
- Increasing meaningful activity and engagement
- Teaching alternative skills
- Strengthening supporter confidence and consistency
- Regularly reviewing whether the restrictive practice remains necessary
- Supporting the gradual reduction and removal of restrictive practices where appropriate
Any restrictive practice must be managed in line with relevant NDIS requirements, authorisation processes and safeguards.
How the process works
Supporting better outcomes
Positive Behaviour Support is not about controlling a person or expecting them to fit into an environment that does not meet their needs. It is about understanding the person, adapting support around them and creating the conditions in which they can better understand their environment, participate, communicate and thrive.
By combining individualised assessment, meaningful engagement, relationship-based support and evidence-informed practice, we help people and their support networks move towards safer, more connected and more fulfilling everyday lives.